Auto hood fastener



Nov. 3, 1936. 1 v F. E. BARBER ET AL 2,059,392

/ AUTO HOOD FASTENER Filed Feb. 6, 1936 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTO HOOD FASTENER Forrest E. Barber and Ray H. Davis, Flint, Mich.; said Davis assignor to said Barber Application February 6, 1936, Serial No. 62,676

5 Claims. (01. 292-228) a handle, placed under tension, relative to a keeper when and for maintaining it in latching position, and releasably held from shifting when in non-latching position.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

1 in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a latching pact, expeditiously operated to and from latching position, functioning as a handle for shifting or raising the element with which it is employed to latch, thoroughly efficient in its use, readily installed with respect to the element which it is to latch and release, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects which may hereinafter appear the invention consists of such parts and such combination of parts as will be more specifically described and are as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that changes, Variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation of the engine hood of an automotive vehicle showing the adaptation of the latch relative to one of the hinged sides of the hood.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the latch as applied to a hinged side of the hood and to the sill of the vehicle and illustrating in full line the latch in latching position and in dotted lines in non-latching position, and

Figure 3 is an elevation looking towards the inner side of the latch when installed.

The latch includes a latching member 4 and a keeper member 5. The member 4 is bodily carried by the hinged side 6 of the hood 1. The

member 5 may be secured to the radiator, sill or body of the vehicle and is shown by way ofexample as secured by the holdfast devices 8 to the sill 9. The hinged side 6 of the hood in proximity to its forward end edge and its bottom edge is formed with a rectangular slot ID for the extension through side 6 of the member i.

The latch includes a vertically disposed bracket I I formed of a rectangular base plate I2 provided with a pair of spaced parallel apertured ears I3 1b approximately at its transverse center. The ears I3 extend rearwardly with respect to the rear face I l of plate I2. The plate I2 is positioned against the inner face of side 6 above the slot Ill. The bottom edge of plate I2 is flush with the upper end wall of slot ID. I-Ioldfast means I4 are employed for anchoring the bracket II to the inner face of hood side 6. Carried by the ears I3 is a, pivot I 5 for the latching member 4.

The latching member 4 consists of a strap of a resilient metallic material of the desired length, width and gauge bent upon itself to provide an outer portion in the form of a large split loop I6 constituting a handle, a pair of superposed curved intermediate stretches I], I8 merging at their outer ends into the ends of loop I 6, an upstanding outwardly inclined upper inner stretch I9 merging at its upper end into a pair of spaced parallel loops 20, 2I for connecting member 4 to the pivot I5 and merging at its lower end into the inner end of stretch I1 and a depending curved lower inner stretch form a nose 22 extended from the inner end of stretch I8. The stretches ll, I8 are arranged in the slot Ill.

Mounted on the pivot I5 is a coiled spring 23 having its end 24 extended and bearing against plate I2 and its other end 25 extended and bearing against the stretch I9 below the loops 20, 2|. The spring 23 permanently tends to maintain the loop I6 in an elevated position and acts to prevent theshifting of member 4 on pivot I5 when the side 6 is in a latched or an unlatched position.

The keeper 5 is vertically disposed and is formed from a strap of metallic material of the desired length, width and gauge and preferably 45 of a width greater than that of the strap forming the member 4. The keeper 5 consists of a lower horizontal stretch 25 which is secured by the holdfast means 8 to the lower face of sill 9, a vertical disposed stretch 2'I merging at its lower end into the outer end of stretch 26 and opposing the inner edge of sill 9, an upstanding outwardly inclined stretch 28 merging at its lower end into the upper end of stretch 21 and an outwardly directed upper stretch 29 of arcuate form constioutwardly tuting a retainer for engagement by the nose 22 for the purpose of releasably retaining the member 4 in latched position.

With reference to Figure 2 the member 4 is illustrated in position for latching the side 6 closed and which is accomplished by the superimposing of stretch 29 or nose 22. When releasing side 6, the loop I6 is moved upwardly relative to side 6 whereby the nose 22 is removed from engagement with stretch 29 and on further upward movement of loop IS, the stretch l1 engages the top wall of slot l0 and the side 6 is elevated. When latching side 6, the member 4 is shifted to the full line position Figure 2.

What we claim is:--

1. In a latch device for an apertured object carrying a pivot on one side above its aperture, a latching member consisting of a strap of resilient material bent upon itself to provide its outer portion in the form of a split loop constituting a handle having its ends merging into the outer ends of a pair of superposed intermediate stretches adapted to pass through the aperture in the object, the upper one of said stretches merging at its inner end in the lower end of an outwardly inclined upstanding upper inner stretch having its upper terminal portion bent upon itself and adapted to loosely connect with said pivot, the lower of the said intermediate stretches merging at its inner end into the upper end of a curved depending lower inner stretch constituting a nose adapted to releasably engage a keeper.

2. In a latch device for an apertured object carrying a pivot on one side above its aperture, a latching member consisting of a strap of resilient material bent upon itself to provide its outer portion in the form of a split loop constituting a handle having its ends merging into the outer ends of a pair of superposed intermediate stretches adapted to pass through the aperture in the object, the upper one of said stretches merging at its inner end in the lower end of an outwardly inclined upstanding upper inner stretch having its upper terminal portion bent upon itself and adapted to loosely connect with said pivot, the lower of the said intermediate stretches merging at its inner end into the upper end of a curved depending lower inner stretch constituting a nose adapted to releasably engage a keeper, the said intermediate stretches being of segmental contour and with the arc of the lower intermediate stretch greater than the arc of the upper intermediate stretch.

3. In a latch device for an apertured object carrying a pivot on one side above its aperture, a latching member consisting of a strap of resilient material bent upon itself to provide its outer portion in the form of a split loop constituting a handle having its ends merging into the outer ends of a pair of superposed intermediate stretches adapted to pass through the aperture in the object, the upper one of said stretches merging at its inner end in the lower end of an inclined upstanding upper inner stretch having its upper terminal portion bent upon itself and adapted to loosely connect with said pivot, the lower of the said intermediate stretches merging at its inner end into the upper end of a curved depending lower inner stretch constituting a nose adapted to releasably engage a keeper, the said upper terminal portion of the inner upper stretch being bifurcated, and a controlling spring arranged in the said bifurcated upper terminal portion and having its ends extended, said spring adapted to be mounted on said pivot, one of the ends of the spring bearing against the rear face of the upper inner stretch and the other end of said spring adapted to bear against said object.

4. In a, latch device for an apertured object carrying a pivot on one side above its aperture, a latching member consisting of a strap of resilient material bent upon itself to provide its outer portion in the form of a split loop constituting a handle having its ends merging into the outer ends of a pair of superposed intermediate stretches adapted to pass through the aperture in the object, the upper one of said stretches merging at its inner end in the lower end of an outwardly inclined upstanding upper inner stretch having its upper terminal portion bent upon itself and adapted to loosely connect with said pivot, the lower of the said intermediate stretches merging at its inner end into the upper end of a curved depending lower inner stretch constituting a nose adapted to releasably engage a keeper, the said intermediate stretches being of segmental contour and with the arc of the lower intermediate stretch greater than the arc of the upper intermediate stretch, the said upper terminal portion of the inner upper stretch being bifurcated, and a controlling spring arranged in the said bifucated upper terminal portion and having its ends extended, said spring adapted to be mounted on said pivot, one of the ends of the spring bearing against the rear face of the upper inner stretch and the other end of said spring adapted to bear against said object.

5. A latching member consisting of a resilient strap-like body having a pair of intermediate curved superposed stretches movable away from each other when the member is in latching posi tion and abutting each other when the member is in non-latching position, a split loop constituting a handle, corresponding ends of said stretches merging into said loop, and upper and lower inner stretches extending in opposite directions relative to each other, said upper inner stretch being of greater length than the lower inner stretch, merging at one end into the other end of the upper intermediate stretch and adapted to have its other end anchored, and said lower inner stretch merging at one end into the other end of the lower intermediate stretch and of a form to constitute a nose for detachable engagement with a keeper.

FORREST E. BARBER. RAY H. DAVIS. 

